Depending on the type of material used in the restoration, the crown can either blend seamlessly or have a naturalistic look with a slight disparity in appearance that would be hard to detect unless looking at it at a close distance.
Does the material influence the aesthetic?
Absolutely, the type of materials used to create a crown will determine how it looks aesthetically. In fact, some materials are preferred for their durability and natural appearance.
For instance, gold and metal-ceramic crowns are both robust crown materials, but they don’t replicate the natural hues of a tooth despite remaining in the same shape as one.
The ideal material to fabricate a natural-looking crown from would be zirconia or lithiumdisilicate. Both materials are exceptional for realistic dental restorations, with their seamless design and strength.
How are crowns designed to look like natural teeth?
The process varies depending on the material; our preferred materials, zirconia and lithiumdisilicate, are crafted very similarly. Both materials can be closely colour-matched to the surrounding teeth for an indistinguishable prosthetic.
Zirconia crowns – Zirconia blocks are used as the base of a crown. In a lab, the block is milled down into a shape close to the final crown. Technicians then refine the prosthetic, perfecting its colour, the shape it, ensuring each groove and ridge appears natural and blends with the adjacent teeth.
Lithiumdisilicate crowns – Similarly to zirconia, the crown is milled from a block of lithiumdisilicate on a computer-aided design software. Utilising scans of the patients’ adjacent teeth to design it to match the shape and provide a flawless finish. Technicians again etch the naturalistic contours, making sure the colour and shape will work in harmony with the natural teeth.
Can the dentist make alterations to the crown upon the final fitting?
Once the crown is ready to be fitted, the patient and dentist will sit down to check that the prosthetic meets the expectations and requirements. Ultimately, the decision rests with the patient; if they feel as though it will not match their surrounding teeth, they can withhold approval until it’s right.
If the colour or shape isn’t up to specification, the dentist can return the prosthetic to the lab for additional painting or milling into a more accurate design. If the match is completely wrong, then the dentist will request a new crown be milled and perfected for the patient.
Then the fitting process proceeds until it receives both the patient’s and the dentist’s approval. Once the prosthetic is approved, it is then cemented in place.